1. Technology Diffusion
Prepared
By
B.SAIKIRAN
(12NA1E0036)

2. MEANING OF TECHNOLOGY
DIFFUSION
• Diffusion is the process by which a new idea or new
product is accepted by the market.
• Technology Diffusion means the spread of
applications / usage of a new technology and its
related products, services or processes from one
nation to another; from one entity to another; from
one industry to another; from the owner entity to
user or supplier; and from current user to the
prospective user.
• Technology Diffusion means the study of how, why,
and at what rate new ideas and technology spread
across the economy.
•

3. Business Firms and
Technological Diffusion
• Diffusion similar to that which occurs
from country to country
• Factors that influence diffusion:
– Relative advantages over existing Technology
– Compatibility w/ existing values of firm
– Ease/difficulty of understanding and applying
new Technology
– Ease of experimentation with new Technology
– Extent to which positive results appear

4. Pattern of Technology Diffusion
• During the intial stage i.e. innovation stage,
technology and innovation gets diffused within the
innovative organizations. Such organizations usually
follow technology leadership strategy.
• During next stage i.e. consolidation stage, diffusion
takes place amongst major competitors.
• During the last stage, i.e. mature technology stage,
diffusion spreads to laggards. These laggards are,
usually, risk-averse and small organizations or small
market players.
• The rate of learnings / spread amongst various
entities is influenced by profitability and investment
required.

5. Product Diffusion
Product diffusion is a case of innovation diffusion.
According to Everett M. Rogers, for any given
product category, there are five categories of
product adopters:
• Innovators – venturesome, educated, use multiple
information sources, possess greater propensity to
take risk (2.5%),
• Early adopters – social leaders, popular, educated
(13.5%),.
• Early majority – deliberate, many informal social
contacts (34%),.
• Late majority – sceptical, traditional, lower socioeconomic status (34%)
• Laggards – neighbours and friends are main
information sources, fear of debt (16%).

6. :
Product Diffusion

7. Characteristics of Technology
Diffusion
• Diffusion is not one-way traffic. The innovator can
also learn from imitator.
• Diffusion is not once- for-all occurance. It is cyclical
in nature.
• Diffusion can take place in varying degrees:
IntraFirm - diffusion of lowest degree ; InterFirmdiffusion of medium degree; Economy wide- diffusion
of highest degree.
• Diffusion can take place in variety of forms … viz
product , service or a process: use & production;
stock of technological knowledge

8. The standard measures
• The standard measures that need to be taken
to achieve diffusion are therefore, as follows
 Awareness-building
 Research
 Technical assistance and consultancy
 Training
 Financial support
 Personnel exchange and the support of R&D
personnel
 Standardization

9. What are Global Trends in
Technology Management
Prior to 1990, rate of technological change has been
slow due to cold war between USA & USSR,
restriction on MNCs, existence of high trade
barriers across countries. Since 1990s rate of
technological change has become faster.
This increased rate of technological change is
noticeable in following areas:
• Most of nations have adopted formal technology
development policy and aim at gaining technological
progress / advancement.
• Innovations (new product / process
developments) are no more confined to developed
world. They can take place anywhere, anytime.

10. What are Global Trends in
Technology Management
Contd …
• Globalisation of technology is taking place at a faster
pace due to variety of factors
• Technological development is becoming highly
customer-oriented. As the customer needs & tastes are
increasing and changing, technological changes are
increasing.
• Decreasing payback period – to derive benefits of
technology development
• Time compression – decrease in time available in
various activities / phases of technology development
• There is faster movement of products and services
from Research & Development center to markets
(reduction in lead times).

11. Conclusion:
• Hence technology diffusion involves
the determination of technical
information and know-how the
subsequent adoption of new
technologies and techniques by
users for development.